US News

Panic at 35,000 feet as crazed passenger tries to open door

A disorderly passenger tried to jump out of a Southwest Airlines jet — causing the plane to make an emergency landing.

The Sacramento-bound plane left a Chicago airport Sunday, but once in the air, the passenger started acting erratic, according to KABC-TV in Los Angeles.

Prior to his escape attempt, the man came out of the bathroom soaking wet, Monique Lawler told ABC.

After that, a flight attendant started screaming, “Help me! Help me!,” according to NBC Chicago. Passengers ran to the back of the plane — where the disturbed man was trying to take a death dive out a rear door.

“I ran to the back of the plane. At that point in time I was joined by about two other people. We basically tackled the — I don’t want to say gentleman — but the guy who was back there and pinned him down and restrained him,” Dr. Scott Porter told NBC Chicago.

The man was restrained and the plane made an emergency landing in Omaha, Neb., before continuing on to Sacramento, where it arrived two hours behind schedule.

No one aboard the plane was injured in the scuffle.